Arugam Bay Beach Sri Lanka

Project Description

The Arugam Bay Beach is a wide sweeping sandy beach in front of the village of Arugam Bay and is an attraction for surfing and swimming all year-round.

Arugam Bay‘s first international surfing competition was held by the ISA (International Surfing Association) in the summer of 2004.

Despite the shocking destruction of the Tsunami on December 26, 2004, the ISA returned in 2005 to give the battered local economy of Arugam Bay a boost. The long and consistent right hand point break at the southern end of the Arugam Bay beach makes it one of the finest surf spot in Sri Lanka as well as Asia.

The Arugam Bay Beach consists of a coral reef which is home to an abundance of tropical fish and is a delightful snorkelling paradise.

Things To Do In Arugam Bay

Surfing : Arugam Bay is renowned for its fantastic waves, which attract surfers from all over the world. Although you can surf here all year round, the most favoured season is from April to October with the average height of waves being 1.5 to 2.5 meters. Main surf spots are Pottuvil point, Main Break and Crocodile Rock.

Dive : You can enjoy diving and snorkelling around Arugam Bay. If you are a serious scuba diver, you can charter a boat and head for the Basses Reefs, which is a “must see” dive site in Sri Lanka.

Wildlife : Catch the rare spectacle of elephants strolling across the A4 through the Lahugala elephant corridor. The best time to catch a glimpse of wildlife such as these gigantic elephants, wild boar, deer and crocodiles is before dawn or at sunset.

Bird Watching : Be over-awed by the flocks of birds that migrate to the Arugam Bay area in the months of November and December.

Explore Arugam Bay

Muhudu Maha Viharaya : Located between Arugam Bay and Pottuvil, among the sand dunes of the beach is the ruins of a Buddhist temple with fairly well preserved stone statues. It is believed that the temple was built where Princess Vihara Maha Devi disembarked.

Magul Maha Viharaya : This boasts of the best – preserved moonstone in all of Asia, with a special feature of the Mahout carved on the back of the an elephant. The Magul Maha Viharaya, which was constructed during the reign of King Dhatusena, is also believed to be the venue where the royal wedding of King Kavantissa and Princess Vihara Maha Devi had taken place. It is located eight kilometres west of Pottuvil along the A4 main road.

Pottuvil Point : The highest place in Pottuvil, popular with Surfers ,this is a long and deserted beach. Wild elephants can often be seen around the area.

Crocodile Rock : From a distance the rock look like a pair of sun bathing crocodiles. The area boasts of a wild environment, with elephants roaming around and eagles sweeping overhead.

Okanda: Located around 28 Kilometres south of Arugam Bay, the Okanda Kudumbigala Forest Hermitage is a small ancient shrine dedicated to the God of Kataragama – Skanda.